How To Get To The Kurobe Gorge
Accessed via the hot spring town of Unazuki Onsen in Toyama Prefecture, Kurobe Gorge is known for its natural beauty and one of Japan’s most scenic rail lines, the Kurobe Gorge Railway. Completed in 1926 as a way to bring materials to build power stations in the mountains, it opened for business as a tourist line from 1951. Easy to access coming from Osaka/Kyoto, Kanazawa and Tokyo, this is the perfect place to soak up one of the most famous natural sights in Japan. On this page you will find the following information:
— Ride the Kurobe Gorge Railway
— 25 Things to Do Around Toyama & Where to Stay
— Tours & Charters Around the Kurobe Gorge
Carved-out by the Kurobe River which ascends to the world below from high in Japan’s tallest mountain range, Kurobe Gorge is inextricably linked to the more famous Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route passes over the mountains from Nagano into Toyama. Often overlooked by international visitors, Toyama is a unique pocket of Japan, nestled between the north coast and the mountains, of which Kurobe Gorge stands-out. Accessible from the small hot spring town of Unazuki Onsen, the gorge can be enjoyed riding the Kurobe Gorge Railway from April until November, with the autumn leaves of October and November offering a spectacular reason to visit later in the year.
Easily reached using the Hokuriku Shinkansen line via Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station, Kurobe Gorge stands-out as one of Central Japan’s most enjoyable destinations. We hope the following information is helpful in planning your visit. Let’s start with the most obvious question:
WHERE IS KUROBE GORGE?
Located in Toyama Prefecture, Kurobe Gorge lies around 50km / 60-minutes to the north-east of Toyama City. Regarded as one of the most beautiful gorges in Japan, Kurobe is best-enjoyed riding the Kurobe Gorge Railway – a 20km / 80-minute scenic line running to and from Unazuki Station along the Kurobe River. Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station is the nearest major station to the gorge. It is a stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line running from Tokyo to Tsuruga via , Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen can be reached in 140 to 150-minutes from the capital, 35-minutes from Kanazawa and 50-minutes from Nagano.
HOW TO GET TO KUROBE GORGE
In this section you will find information on how to reach Kurobe Gorge from the following starting points:
KUROBE-UNAZUKIONSEN – TOYAMA – KANAZAWA – TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE – NAGANO CITY – JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK – KARUIZAWA – MATSUMOTO – TAKAYAMA – KAMIKOCHI – TOKYO – NARITA AIRPORT – HANEDA AIRPORT – NAGOYA – KYOTO & OSAKA
We endeavor to keep this information as up-to-date as possible and in recognition that most international visitors will be using the train network to move around Japan, most directions are for using the trains. If there is alternative option i.e. express or local bus, that is notably faster or economical, we also include that information.
FROM KUROBE-UNAZUKIONSEN
Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station is the nearest shinkansen station to Kurobe Gorge, and as such, is a convenient hub from which to reach the gorge and railway. It is on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line running from Tsuruga and Kanazawa to Tokyo with trains arriving/departing Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station about every hour and includes stops at:
Tsuruga / Echizen-Takefu / Fukui / Awara Onsen / Kaga Onsen / Komatsu / Kanazawa / Shin-Takaoka / Toyama / Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen / Itoigawa / Joetsu-Myoko / Iiyama / Nagano / Ueda / Sakudaira / Karuizawa / Annaka-Haruna / Takasaki / Honjo-Waseda / Kumagaya / Omiya / Ueno / Tokyo
Once at Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station, crossover the walkway to Shin-Kurobe Station and transfer to the Toyama Chiho Railway bound for Unazuki Onsen Station. The journey from Shin-Kurobe Station to Unazuki Onsen Station takes between 20 to 30 minutes and costs JPY640-JPY750 (depending on which service you choose). The Kurobe Gorge Railway is accessed directly from this hot spring town of Unazuki Onsen. It is important to note that the Kurobe Gorge Railway operates from Unazuki Station, located next to Unazuki Onsen Station.
Once at Unazuki Onsen Station, simply follow the signs to nearby Unazuki Station and the Kurobe Gorge Railway. For daily train schedules, see to our ‘Hokuriku Shinkansen Timetable’ page.
FROM TOYAMA
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Toyama Station to Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station – 12 min. There is usually a train once an hour that stops at the station. Once there, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge. There are also local trains that run here as well; however, they can take over an hour at times for a lower cost.
FROM KANAZAWA
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa Station to Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station – 35 min. The trains that stop at Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station run about once a hour. Once there, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge.
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Kurobe Gorge and Unazuki Onsen | |
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| Period | May to November |
| Time | 08:00 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Kanazawa Station Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥30,000 / 24,000 |
| Child Rate | ¥24,000 / 21,000 |
An even easier way to get there is to take our day tour of the area! Starting from Kanazawa, your guide will escort you to the Kurobe Gorge and the onsen town of Unazuki all the while explaining what makes these spots so special. This tour is highly recommended for those looking for an entertaining excursion for the day from Kanazawa.
FROM THE TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Tour from Kanazawa & Toyama: Snow Wall and Mysterious Valley | |
| Period | April to June |
| Time | 08:00 – 19:00 |
| Meeting Place | Kanazawa Station / Toyama Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥30,000 |
| Child Rate | ¥23,800 |
The Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route can be access via two stations – Tateyama Station on the Toyama-side of the mountain range and Ogizawa Station on the Nagano-side. To access Kurobe Gorge from the Alpine Route, it is best to come down the Toyama-side to Tateyama Station and once there, take the Toyama Chiho Railway Tateyama Line to Terada Station, and once there, transfer to the Toyama Chiho Railway Main Line bound for Unazuki Onsen Station. The journey takes between 120 to 160 minutes depending on which services you choose.
The “Canyon Route” through the mountain using vehicles that connect the end of the Kurobe Gorge Railway to the Kurobe Dam is currently under construction and may open in 2025.
Please note, because of the time required for both activities, it is not possible to experience the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route and Kurobe Gorge Railway on the same day. We recommend booking in either the Unazuki Onsen / Kurobe Gorge area or Tateyama Station area and enjoying the region on a multi-day visit.
FROM NAGANO CITY
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Nagano Station to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station – 45 to 55 min. There is usually a train once an hour that runs to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station. Once there, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge.
FROM THE JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK
To reach Kurobe Gorge from the Jigokudani Monkey Park it takes time but is relatively straight-forward when done via Nagano Station. From the park, you have the option of: 1. a direct express bus from the park to Nagano Station or 2. a local bus to Yudanaka Station followed by an express train to Nagano Station.
Starting from the park, the express bus costs JPY1500 each way and takes 55 minutes to reach Nagano Station. In comparison, taking the local bus from the park to Yudanaka Station followed by the train, takes 15 minutes before the limited express train to Nagano takes another 45 minutes – a total journey of around 60 to 70 minutes. Once at Nagano Station, follow the directions above.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake in Nagano | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:35 – 17:35 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Hakuba (winter only) |
| Adult Rate | ¥17,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,000 |
Our entertaining 1-day tour of the monkey park from Nagano brings you to more than just these bath loving primates – you will also enjoy a guided tour at Zenko-ji Temple, one of Japan’s oldest temples, and a sake tasting at a local brewery. Of course, the evening will be filled with a tour at the park itself, and if you have secured accommodation in the area you can even choose to end the tour at the park area and stay there for the night.
FROM KARUIZAWA
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Karuizawa Station to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station – 75 to 85 min. There is usually a train once an hour that runs to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station. Once there, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge. If you are looking for other day trips from Karuizawa Station, start with our listing below:
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Karuizawa: Unwind in Kusatsu Onsen | |
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| Period | April – November |
| Time | 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Karuizawa Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥15,500 |
FROM MATSUMOTO
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto: Experience Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 08:15 – 18:15 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Matsumoto Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥23,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,900 |
From Matsumoto Station, take the Limited Express Shinano to Nagano Station. There are many services every day taking around 50 minutes. For the daily train schedule, see our ‘Limited Express Shinano Line Timetable’ page. Once in Nagano, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge.
FROM TAKAYAMA
From Takayama Station, take the Limited Express Hida service to Toyama Station – 90 min. Once in Toyama, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge. If you are looking for other day trip options from Takayama, our listing below is a great place to start:
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Takayama: Explore Scenic Old Japan in Takayama and Shirakawa-go | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:00 – 18:30 |
| Meeting Place | Takayama Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥20,800 / 22,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥12,000 / 14,000 |
FROM KAMIKOCHI
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto: Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle | |
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| Period | April to November |
| Time | 08:15 – 18:30 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Matsumoto Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥23,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,900 |
The Kurobe Gorge can be accessed from Kamikochi via Takayama Station, with frequent services running to and from the Takayama Nohi Bus Center – located next to Takayama Station. From the Kamikochi Bus Terminal, take the bus to the Hirayu Onsen Bus Terminal – 25 to 30 minutes – and then switch to the bus headed to Takayama – another 60 minutes. Once in Takayama, follow the directions above to reach Kurobe Gorge.
FROM TOKYO
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Walking Tour in Shinjuku and Kagurazaka : Tokyo Hot Spots and Hidden Gems | |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Inside Yotsuya Sanchome Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥19,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥13,000 |
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station – 140 to 150 min – and once there, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge. There is usually a train once an hour that runs to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station.
FROM NARITA AIRPORT
Kurobe Gorge can be accessed from the airport via Tokyo Station or Ueno Station. Two rapid train services connect Narita Airport to central Tokyo, from where you can make the onward journey to Kurobe Gorge.
1 / the Narita Express (NEX) runs from Narita to Tokyo Station. It takes 55 minutes to reach Tokyo Station (depending on the service) with trains departing every 30 to 60 minutes. Once at Tokyo Station, follow the directions above.
2 / the Keisei Skyliner runs from Narita to Ueno Station. It takes between 40 to 55 minutes to reach Ueno Station with trains departing every 30 to 40 minutes. Once at Ueno Station, transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen bound for Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station and follow the directions above.
FROM HANEDA AIRPORT
Kurobe Gorge can be reached from Haneda via Tokyo Station. Two train services connect Haneda Airport to central Tokyo, from where you can make the onward journey to Kurobe Gorge.
1 / the Tokyo Monorail connects the airport to Tokyo Station via Hamamatsucho Station in around 30 minutes. From the airport take the monorail to Hamamatsucho Station (20 min) and then switch to the JR Yamanote Line or JR Keihin-Tohoku/Negishi Line Rapid bound for Tokyo Station (5 min) – a total journey of around 30-minutes one-way. Once at Tokyo Station, follow the directions above.
2 / the Keikyu Railway connects the airport to Tokyo Station via Shinagawa Station. Take the Keikyu Airport bound to Shinagawa Station (approx.11 min) and transfer to the Yamanote Line bound for Osaki to reach Tokyo Station- 13 min or a total journey of around 30 min. Once at Tokyo Station, follow the directions above.
FROM NAGOYA
There are three different options when traveling from Nagoya Station. The fastest is to take the Limited Express Shirasagi to Tsuruga Station, then transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Only the Hakutaka Shinkansen stops at Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station so be careful, you may have to either wait or transfer again. In total it should take about 210 minutes.
The other two routes are simpler but take more time. Take the Shinano Limited Express Train to Nagano and transfer there to the Hokuriku Shinkansen’s Hakutaka train. This should take about 240 minutes. There is usually a train once an hour that runs to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station.
The final option is to take the Hida Limited Express to Toyma and transfer there to the Hokuriku Shinkansen’s Hakutaka train. This should take about 300 minutes. Once at Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station, follow the directions above to reach Kurobe Gorge.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Guided Garden Walk through Nagoya’s Castle, Gardens, and Historic Estates | |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 9:00 – 17:00 |
| Meeting Place | JR Nagoya Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥17,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,000 |
For more things to do while you are in Nagoya, look no further than our tour listed above!
FROM KYOTO & OSAKA
1 Day Tour
| Osaka’s Secret Adventures: Discover Daruma Magic and the Beauty of Minoh Falls | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:20 – 16:00 |
| Meeting Place | Osaka Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥17,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,000 |
From Shin-Osaka Station and Kyoto Station Kurobe Gorge, can be reached through a quick transfer at Tsuruga Station to the Hokuriku Shinkansen followed by a second at Kanazawa. From either of those stations, take the Limited Express Thunderbird to Tsuruga and then hop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa. Frequent services run between the cities and involve the following travel times and costs: 140 to 145 minutes from Shin-Osaka and 120 minutes from Kyoto. Once in Kanazawa, follow the directions above to reach the Kurobe Gorge.
RIDE THE KUROBE GORGE RAILWAY
Running 20km from Unazuki Station to Keyakidaira Station, the Kurobe Gorge Railway is one of Japan’s most scenic train-rides. Following the Kurobe River, the line passes over 20 bridges and through around 40 tunnels – a beautiful landscape and experience that can be enjoyed riding the train’s open-air carriages. For more information, see our ‘Ride the Kurobe Gorge Railway’ page.
In 2025, a new “Canyon Route” is planned to be opening that will connect Keyakidaira Station, the last stop on the railway, to Kurobe Dam directly. This will create a direct route for travelers to enjoy all the famous sights of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route with the stunning Kurobe Gorge. Come back next year for more information on these exciting developments.
25 THINGS TO DO AROUND TOYAMA & WHERE TO STAY
Nestled between Japan’s north coast and highest mountain range, Toyama is a beautiful region best-known for its seafood, the Kurobe Gorge and the iconic Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route. Toyama City itself is modern and energetic and an ideal launching point from where to access the overall region. For tips and suggestions of what’s on offer, see our ’25 Things To Do Around Toyama & Where To Stay’ page.
TOURS & CHARTERS AROUND THE KUROBE GORGE
Central Japan offers many, many reasons to visit. Operating all year round, we are the regions No.1-rated tour and charter operator, offering a range of services including group tours, private tours and charters. We can arrange transport including a private vehicle and driver, to transport you to, from and between any regional destination including the Kurobe Gorge.
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Kurobe Gorge and Unazuki Onsen | |
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| Period | May to November |
| Time | 08:00 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Kanazawa Station Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥30,000 / 24,000 |
| Child Rate | ¥24,000 / 21,000 |
In the Northern Japanese Alps lies a small beautiful onsen town sitting at the entrance of an even more amazing sight, Kurobe Gorge, Japan’s deepest V-shaped gorge. On this tour you can experience the great natural beauty of Japan and the small town feel of a popular onsen resort. Your local guide will show you foot baths and healing buddhas, ride on the trolley train across spectacular gorges and, finally, stroll through nature with unusual onsen water rivers. City and scenery, bridges and buddhas, trolley trains and quaint walks, fully enjoy a lesser traveled part of Japan in Unazuki Onsen and the Kurobe Gorge!
For a more personalized experience, private charters are also available. We can pick you up from a location of your choice anywhere in Central Japan, and bring you to your preferred destination. Airport pickup from Tokyo or Nagoya, even Osaka, is also possible. Our services may be used for taking day trips that include a few hard to reach destinations as well, removing the hassle of using often infrequent public transport options. A guide can be requested for an additional fee to turn the day into a completely private tour, where you decide the itinerary and our guides show you around in a timely and engaging manner. For more information concerning pricing and availability, please see here.
